In this must-have collection of stories, experience nineteen thrilling adventures from the world of vampire-hunter Jane Yellowrock, including many fan favorites and two all-new novellas. Read about the first time Jane put the pedal to the metal in “The Early Years,” and the last thing a werewolf will ever see as Jane delivers justice in “Beneath a Bloody Moon.” Get a searing look into the pasts of some of the series’ best-loved characters: Beast in “WeSa and the Lumber King,” Rick LaFleur in “Cat Tats,” and Molly Everhart Trueblood in “Haints.”

In the brand-new “Cat Fight,” the witches and vampires of Bayou, Oiseau, are at war over a magical talisman—and Jane must figure out how to keep the mysterious artifact out of the covetous hands of the Master of New Orleans. And in the never-before-published “Bound No More,” Jane welcomes a visit from Molly and her daughter, Angie, who is about to prove she’s the most powerful witch in Everhart history….

From the Big Easy to the bad bayou, from the open road to a vampire’s lair—with Jane Yellowrock, it’s always a given: have stakes, will travel.

Quick & Dirty: A highly entertaining collection of stories from the Jane Yellowrock universe that any fan of the series should enjoy.

I had mixed feelings when starting this one. On one hand, I love the Jane Yellowrock series, and the more time I get to spend in that world, the better. On the other hand, I’m not a huge fan of short stories because more often than not, I end up feeling like there’s something missing. For the most part though, this was a highly satisfying collection of short stories and novellas, with very few leaving me feeling like there just wasn’t enough time to get into the story.

Wesa and the Lumber King – 2.5 stars

This one was way too short for me. Add to that the fact that it’s all in Beast’s perspective before she and Jane really bonded, and it made it very hard to be engaged in what was happening because I had a hard time getting into Beast’s mindset. It was interesting to see their relationship in the 1800s, but it just didn’t end up doing much for me.

Early Years – 4 stars

This takes place immediately after Jane leaves the children’s home at the age of 18. It was really interesting to get a glimpse into who Jane was/how she acted prior to figuring out her past. Hunter does an excellent job of making Jane’s narration sound like that of an 18-year-old as opposed to the woman Jane currently is in the series. Not much happens here, but it’s fun reading nevertheless.

Snafu – 4 stars

Here we have young Jane again, but we get to see a glimpse of the kickass Jane we know and love. Here, we see that Jane might not have her reputation yet, but she’s still tough as nails and willing to take on anyone who gives her a hard time. Another fun one!

Cat Tats – 5 stars

If you had told me before reading this book that I would give a story that features Rick’s point of view 5 stars, I would have called you crazy. In past reviews, I have made no secret of the fact that I really can’t stand Rick. He’s probably on my list of Top 5 Least Favorite Characters. So color me surprised when I found myself absolutely engrossed by this story of how he received his tattoo. I liked getting to see a glimpse of him before Jane entered his life, and the ending was great.

Kits – 5 stars

Here, we get to see how Jane’s friendship with Molly started, and it’s fabulous. I love seeing how vulnerable Jane becomes with her friends, and this story showed that vulnerability perfectly.

Haint(s) – 4 stars

This one’s from Molly’s point of view, and while I liked it, it oddly felt too long sometimes. That being said, it was great getting to see Jane from someone else’s point of view. Also, Evan and Jane getting along was a nice surprise!

Signatures of the Dead – 5 stars

I really love seeing Jane’s and Molly’s relationship from Molly’s point of view. This one was gruesome and fast-paced, didn’t pull any punches when it came to the violence being perpetrated by the vampires. Very gripping!

First Sight – 4 stars

This depicts Jane and Bruiser’s first meeting from Bruiser’s point of view. As much as I love Bruiser, there’s really not much here, but it’s entertaining for what it is.

Blood, Fangs, and Going Furry – 4 stars

We have another one from Rick’s point of view, here depicting his first full moon after being changed. I actually felt sympathy for him, a feeling I’ve never had for him before now. It was interesting to see what he goes through mentally when he tries to change.

Dance Master – 3 stars

Nothing really happens in this one, but the chemistry between Jane and Bruiser is electric. Plus, any extra time spent with Bruiser is great in my opinion.

Golden Delicious – 5 stars

Once again, here’s one from Rick’s point of view that gets 5 stars from me. This is another fast-paced one, and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Even though it’s a short story, it felt fully fleshed out, and I didn’t feel as though I was missing anything.

Cajun with Fangs – 3.5 stars

What made me knock this one down a half star was the Cajun speak. It got a little distracting at times as I tried to follow what the characters were saying. Other than that, this was a very entertaining, self-contained story.

The Devil’s Left Boot – 3.5 stars

This one’s from Liz’s (Molly’s sister) point of view, as she and Cia try to help an old high school rival find her mother. Given where this fits in the timeline of the series, it was very interesting to see Liz’s point of view, especially when it came to her opinion of Jane. Other than the parts with Jane, I wasn’t real invested in the story though.

Beneath a Bloody Moon – 4 stars

Here, I discovered that I still don’t like Rick, despite my opinion of some of the stories in this collection. Maybe my liking of him depends on who’s narrating the story. Here, we’re back in Jane’s point of view, and I could not stand him. That being said, this story had edge of your seat action, and it’s the first to include the Youngers. I was so happy to see them!

Black Water – 4 stars

This one was an interesting change of pace, with Jane hunting humans as opposed to supernaturals. The story was very fast-paced, and it left me wanting more information on Sarge’s wife. I’m wondering if she’ll show up again someday?

Off the Grid – 4 stars

This is a must read for anyone wanting to start the spinoff Soulwood series. When I read the first book in that series, I often felt a little confused whenever Nell would refer to Jane. Here, we get to see how they meet and what brings Nell to PsyLED’s attention. The story moves quickly and makes you very curious to know more about Nell.

Not All is as it Seems – 3 stars

This one moved kind of slow. As much as I love Angie Baby, I just wasn’t super interested in the storyline.

Cat Fight – 5 stars

I was a little apprehensive to return to Cajun territory, but the dialogue wasn’t as distracting here. The action was non-stop, and I was on the edge of my seat most of the time.

Bound No More – 3 stars

This is another one that heavily features Angie Baby, and I just wasn’t super interested. I will admit, however, to being intrigued as to where things will go from here.

All in all, this was a solid short story collection, with the majority of the stories being extremely gripping and action-packed. It made me want to go back and start the series over again. And given that that would mean experiencing a lot of Rick LaFleur, I think that says something. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the Jane Yellowrock series.

Notable Scene:

He checked the shaft of light again. It was less sharply angled, nearly straight across, and tinted with pink. Setting. The sun was setting. He shivered in the warm air. Night was coming. Most witch ceremonies were at night, weren’t they? At least the black spells? He had to get out of here. He fought his bonds. The pain in his wrists and ankles was liquid heat. Blood trickled from his flesh as it swelled around the too-tight cuffs. Something crawled up his inner thigh, tickling its way through the hair. Spider. Had to be. He bounced his butt hard and dislodged the bug, landing on it. Crushing it beneath his buttock. A soft laugh escaped his throat. Sounding more sob than amusement.

Taking only minutes, the sunbeam reddened and thinned and grew fainter. And vanished. And night fell. Quickly. It took only seconds for the dark to smother him. Heart pounding, he heard only the twitter of birds in the rafters, the rustle of small rodents, and the sound of his breathing – too fast, too harsh. Choked with fear.

FTC Advisory: Roc/Penguin provided me with a copy of Blood in Her Veins. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

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